Jonathan Tunick
Jonathan Tunick (born April 19, 1938, New York City) is an American orchestrator, musical director, and composer, one of fifteen people to have won all four major American show business awards: the Tony Awards, Academy Awards, Emmy Awards and Grammy Awards. He is best known for his work with Stephen Sondheim, starting in 1970 with Company and continuing to the present day. Biography He graduated from Hunter College Elementary School, the LaGuardia Performing Arts High School, and holds degrees from Bard College and the Juilliard School.Rothstein, Mervyn. "A Life in the Theatre: Orchestrator, Composer and Music Director Jonathan Tunick" playbill.com, September 16, 2005 Tunick's principal instrument is the clarinet.Gans, Andrew. "Tony-Winning Orchestrator Jonathan Tunick Plays Birdland March 19; Rebecca Faulkenberry Is Special Guest", playbill.com, March 19, 2012. Much of his work has arisen from his involvement in theatre, and he is associated especially with the musicals of Stephen Sondheim. Sondheim said of Tunick's work: "'I think he's tops'..." and further noted that "Tunick is a standout in his field not only because of his musicianship and imagination, but primarily because of 'his great sensitivity to theatrical atmosphere'".Sharbutt, Jay. "Orchestrators", The Associated Press, May 23, 1982 (no page number) Tunick also has a band, the "Broadway Moonlighters", which played at Birdland in March 2012 and in 2008 with Barbara Cook as his special guest.Gans, Andrew. "Tony Winner Cook Will Join Tunick at Birdland Nov. 24", playbill.com; November 11, 2008 He has worked as an arranger and/or conductor on recordings with Judy Collins, Kiri Te Kanawa, Brian Asawa, Sir Neville Mariner, Itzhak Perlman, Plácido Domingo, Johnny Mathis, Barbra Streisand, Paul McCartney, and Bernadette Peters.Jonathan Tunick profile goodmantheatre.org, June 2003; accessed April 17, 2012 In his review of the Bernadette Peters recording Bernadette Peters Loves Rodgers and Hammerstein (Angel Records, 2002), John Kenrick wrote: "Jonathan Tunick provides the brilliant arrangements."Kenrick, John. "Solo CD's. Bernadette Peters" Musicals101.com; accessed April 18, 2012 Tunick won the Grammy Award as "Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s)/Best Background Arrangement" for his work on the song "No One Is Alone" from the Cleo Laine album Cleo Laine Sings Sondheim (RCA Victor, 1987)."Laine Sings Sondheim", allmusic.com; accessed April 18, 2012. Tunick won the first Tony Award for Best Orchestrations that was awarded, in 1997, for Titanic.Jonathan Tunick biography, sondheimguide.com; accessed April 17, 2012. "Also winning for Titanic...Jonathan Tunick, orchestration, a new category this year."Kuchwara. Michael (Byline). "Revival rakes in the awards; Tony taps 'Chicago'", Chicago Sun-Times, June 2, 1997, p. 25 In addition to the other awards, he has won the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Orchestrations three times and won a Drama Desk Special Award in 1982. Tunick was inducted into the American Theatre Hall of Fame in January 2009.Gans, Andrew. "Theater Hall of Fame Ceremony Presented Jan. 26; Ivey Hosts" playbill.com, January 26, 2009 Personal life Tunick is married to actress Leigh Beery, (also known as "Lee Beery") who appeared in the television soap opera Dark Shadows in 1971."Leigh Beery Film and TV" imdb.com; accessed October 10, 2015 Work Stage ;Sources - AllMusic; Internet Broadway DatabaseJonathan Tunick Listing", Internet Broadway Database; accessed April 17, 2012. *''Take Five'' (composer: "Gristedes," "The Pro Musica Antiqua")(Julius Monk Revue) - 1957Hischak, Thomas S. "Chapter Two, A New Arena:The 1950's" Off-Broadway Musicals Since 1919 (2011), (books.google.com), Scarecrow Press, Inc., , p. 43 *''From A to Z'' - 1960 *''All in Love'' - 1961" 'All in Love' Listing" Internet Off-Broadway Database, accessed April 17, 2012 *''Promises, Promises'' - 1968 *''Here's Where I Belong'' - 1968 *''Dames at Sea'' - 1969 *''Company'' - 1970 *''The Grass Harp'' - 1971 *''Follies'' - 1971 *''MASS'' - 1971 *''The Selling of the President'' - 1972 *''Sondheim: A Musical Tribute'' - Concert - 1973" 'Sondheim: A Musical Tribute'", SondheimGuide.com; accessed April 17, 2012 *''A Little Night Music'' - 1973 *''Smith'' - 1973" 'Smith' Listing", Internet Broadway database; accessed April 17, 2012 *''A Chorus Line'' - 1975 ("Opening," "Nothing," "At The Ballet," "...And," "What I Did For Love") *''Goodtime Charley'' - 1975 *''The Frogs'' - 1975 *''Pacific Overtures'' - 1976 *''Ballroom'' - 1978 *''Sweeney Todd'' - 1979 *''Merrily We Roll Along'' - 1981 *''Nine'' - (musical supervisor and orchestrations) 1982 *''Alice in Wonderland'' - (musical supervisor) 1982 *''Baby'' - 1983 *''Dance a Little Closer'' - 1983 *''The Wind in the Willows'' - (musical supervisor) 1985 *''Into the Woods'' - 1987 *''Nick & Nora'' - 1991 *''Phantom'' - 1992" 'Phantom' Cast Album Listing" castalbumdb.com, accessed April 17, 2012 *''A Grand Night for Singing'' - 1993 *''Company'' (re-orchestrated) - 1993 *''Sweeney Todd'' (re-orchestrated) - 1993 *''Passion'' - 1994 *''The Petrified Prince'' - Public Theater 1994Brantley, Ben. "Theater Review; Both a Sendup and an Embrace, Based on Bergman Again" The New York Times, December 19, 1994 *''Patti LuPone on Broadway'' - Walter Kerr Theatre Concert 1995Evans, Greg. "Patti Lupone on Broadway" Variety (webcache.googleusercontent.com), October 12, 1995 *''Company'' - 1995 *''A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum'' (re-orchestrated; originals by Sid Ramin and Irwin Kostal) - 1996 *''Martin Guerre'' - 1996 *''Into the Woods'' - 1997 *''Titanic'' - 1997 *''Saturday Night'' - 1999 *''Minnelli on Minnelli'' - (orchestrations) Palace Theatre Concerts 1999" 'Minnelli on Minnelli' Listing" Internet Broadway Database, accessed April 17, 2012 *''Marie Christine'' - 1999 *''Putting It Together'' - 1999 *''Napoleon'' - 2000 *''Follies'' (re-orchestrated) - 2001 *''Into the Woods'' (re-orchestrated) - 2002 *''Elaine Stritch At Liberty'' - 2001 *''Nine'' - (re-orchestrated) 2003 *''110 in the Shade'' (re-orchestrated from Hershy Kay's originals) - 2003 *''The Frogs'' (re-orchestrated & expanded) - 2004 *''Pacific Overtures'' - (re-orchestrated) 2004 *''The Color Purple'' - 2005 *''A Chorus Line'' - (re-orchestrated) 2006 *''The Apple Tree'' - (re-orchestrated from Eddie Sauter's originals) 2006 *''110 in the Shade'' - (re-orchestrated from Hershy Kay's originals) 2007 *''Lovemusik'' - 2007 *''A Catered Affair'' - 2008 *''Road Show'' - 2008" 'Road Show'" Internet Off-Broadway database, accessed April 18, 2012 and 2003Murray, Matthew. "Theatre Review. 'Bounce' " talkinbroadway.com, November 2, 2003, accessed April 18, 2012 *''The Story of My Life'' - 2009 *''Oklahoma!'' - (re-orchestrated from Robert Russell Bennett's originals) 2009 *''Bye Bye Birdie'' - (re-orchestrated from Robert Ginzler's originals) 2009 *''Paradise Found'' - 2010 *''Some Lovers'' - Old Globe Theatre 2011Eadie, Bill."Regional Reviews. 'Some Lovers', Old Globe" talkinbroadway.com, December 10, 2011 *''Sweeney Todd'' (re-orchestrated) - 2012 *''Passion'' (re-orchestrated) - 2013 *''A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder'' - 2013 *''Waterfall'' - Pasadena Playhouse 2015 *''Dames at Sea'' (re-orchestrated) - 2015 *''Cabin in the Sky'' - Encores! 2016 *''Carousel'' - (re-orchestrated from Don Walker's originals) 2018 Filmography ;Sources - AllMusic;"Jonathan Tunick Credits" allmusic.com, accessed April 17, 2012 Internet Movie Database"Jonathan Tunick Listing" Internet Movie Database, accessed April 17, 2012 *''The Twelve Chairs'' - 1970 - musical director, orchestrator *''Blazing Saddles'' - 1974 - orchestrator *''Young Frankenstein'' - 1974 - orchestrator *''The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother'' - 1975 - orchestrator *''A Little Night Music'' - 1977 - composer orchestrator, conductor (winner, Academy Award) *''Columbo: Murder Under Glass'' - 1978 - (television) - composer, conductor *''Flying High'' - 1978 - (television) - composer, conductor *''3 by Cheever'': "O Youth and Beauty", "The Sorrows of Gin" and 3 by Cheever: The 5:48 - 1979 - (television) - composer, conductor *''Rendezvous Hotel'' - 1979 - (television) - composer, conductor *''Swan Song'' - 1980 - (television) - composer, conductor *''Blinded by the Light'' - 1980 - (television) - composer, conductor *''The Jilting of Granny Weatherall'' - 1980 - (television) - composer, conductor *''Fort Apache the Bronx'' - 1981 - composer, conductor *''Endless Love'' - 1981 - composer, conductor *''Reds'' - 1981 - orchestrator *''The Shady Hill Kidnapping'' - 1982 - (television) - composer, conductor *''Night of 100 Stars'' - 1982 - (television) - music arranger *''Sweeney Todd'' - 1982 - (television) - orchestrator *''Alice in Wonderland'' - 1983 - (television) - composer, conductor *''I Am the Cheese'' - 1983 - composer, conductor *''Murder, She Wrote'' - 1984 - (television) - series composer, conductor *''Concealed Enemies'' - 1984 - (television) - composer, conductor *''Brotherly Love'' - 1985 - (television) - composer, conductor"Cast and Crew, 'Brotherly Love'" fandango.com, assessed April 18, 2012 *''Steven Spielberg's Amazing Stories'' - 1985 - (television) - series composer, conductor *''The B.R.A.T. Patrol'' - 1986 - (television) - composer, conductor" 'The B.R.A.T Patrol' Cast and Crew" movies.amctv.com, accessed April 18, 2012 *''American Masters'' - 1986 - (television) - composer (theme only) *''You Ruined My Life'' - 1987 - (television) - composer, conductor *''Into the Woods'' - 1991 - (television) - orchestrator *''Sondheim: A Celebration at Carnegie Hall'' - 1993 (televised) (concert in 1992) - (television) - orchestrator"Sondheim: A Celebration at Carnegie Hall" sondheimguide.com, accessed April 18, 2012 *''The Last Good Time'' - 1994 - composer, conductor *''The Birdcage'' - 1996 - music arranger and adapter, composer, conductor *''Hey, Mr. Producer! The Musical World of Cameron Mackintosh'' - 1998 - (television) - orchestrator *''The Fantasticks'' - 2000 - music adaptor and arranger, conductor *''Find Me Guilty'' - 2006 - composer, conductor *''Sweeney Todd'' (Tim Burton film) - 2007 - music adaptor and orchestrator *''Into the Woods'' - 2014 - orchestrator Awards ;Sources - Sondheim Guide; Internet Broadway Database *1977 Academy Award - Original Song Score and Its Adaptation or Adaptation Score - A Little Night Music"Jonathan Tunick Listing" The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (awardsdatabase.oscars.org); accessed April 17, 2012. *1982 Emmy Award - Outstanding Achievement in Music Direction - Night of 100 Stars[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0355825/awards "Awards for Night of 100 Stars"] Internet Movie Database, accessed April 18, 2012 *1988 Grammy Award - Best Instrumental Arrangement, "No One Is Alone", performed by Cleo Laine"1988 Grammy Awards" infoplease.com, accessed April 18, 2012 *1994 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Orchestrations - Passion''Gerard, Jeremy. "Drama Desk Nod TO 'Perestroika';Sondheim's 'Passion' top tuner", ''Daily Variety, June 7, 1994, p.2 *1997 Tony Award - Best Orchestrations for Titanic"1997 Tony Awards", infoplease.com; accessed April 18, 2012 *1997 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Orchestrations - Titanic *2007 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Orchestrations - ''Lovemusik''Cox, Gordon. "'Utopia' sweeps Drama Desk Awards", Variety.com, May 20, 2007. See also * List of music arrangers References External links * * }} Category:Best Original Music Score Academy Award winners Category:American male musicians Category:Jewish American composers Category:Bard College alumni Category:Drama Desk Award winners Category:Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School alumni Category:Grammy Award winners Category:Juilliard School alumni Category:Tony Award winners Category:1938 births Category:Living people Category:Musicians from New York City Category:American Theater Hall of Fame inductees